Eve twists toward me and loops her arms around my neck. She buries her head against my shoulder and whispers so softly, I’m not sure I hear.
“I knew a man couldn’t smell that good if he wasn’t…” The rest of what she says is cut off by another round of sobs. Only this time, they’re joyous and filled with relief.
All I know is I’ve found heaven. My arms wrap around my woman. Her arms wrap around me. I never want this moment to end.
Knox clears his throat, interrupting us. A growl escapes me, but Knox is insistent.
“Max…”
“A moment…”
“Boss…” The switch to Boss grabs my attention.
I release Eve, thrilled to see happiness in her eyes. She beams with joy and I can say I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life.
“What’s up?”
He leans close and speaks for my ears only. “Team’s on the way. We need to be in place.”
In place.
This is the tricky part. How to get the three of us out of the suite to the rendezvous spot.
I don’t see a path forward. In our suite, we’re safe. Expectations are that I’m sampling Eve’s assets as we speak. There’s zero reason for us to head outside.
Unless.
“I have an idea.” I turn to Eve and debate my sanity. I crook my finger, calling her over. When she’s near, I lean down and whisper in her ear. “Do you trust me?”
An odd question, considering everything she knows about me. Knox told her who we are, but she’s still processing. I’m not sure the amount of trust I need is something she’ll give me.
Eve nods. In that moment, my heart just about breaks.
“Knox, get me the shackles.”
Knox gives me the eye, but he doesn’t hesitate. Eve, however, tenses.
“What are you going to do with those?”
“Silence.” The sharpness in my voice isn’t for her. I mouth a soundless I’m sorry and Trust me.
Knox returns with the metal cuffs and I cringe at the drying blood on them. Eve’s blood. No way in hell am I putting those back on her, at least not like that.
I stomp into my room and yank a shirt out of one of the drawers. I tear strips out of the soft cotton and I take these back to Eve and wrap them around her wrists.
“There. How’s that?”
“You’re a monster.” Eve joins in, playing to our silent crowd.
“You have no idea.” I wrap the manacles over the soft cotton, making sure her skin’s as protected as it can be. Knox arches a brow, wondering at my plan. “Grab a belt. A thick one.”
“On it, boss.” Knox smirks, he knows exactly what I plan.
We gather at the door for one last check. I cup Eve’s cheeks and press my forehead against hers. “You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Things might get intense out there.”
“I’m good.” Her soft whisper sends chills down my spine.
She doesn’t understand what I’m about to do. I glance at Knox and give him the okay.
Knox grabs Eve’s manacles and jerks her out of the suite. He waits for me in the hall while I take the broad leather belt and loop it around her neck.
She wobbles as I cinch it down, tightening it against her throat. Out here, cameras are everywhere. I give a yank and head down the hall with my slave in tow.
Knox follows beside Eve, keeping her shuffling behind me.
Twenty-Six
Eve
Your father sent us.
Four little words change everything. Suddenly, the constriction around my chest, my constant companion for the past few months, eases.
My father sent Max and Knox.
Giddy with joy, I almost forget where we are. I’m just relieved it’s over. But then, the care with which they handle their words reminds me this isn’t over. They still need to get me out of The Retreat.
How?
The obvious answer is I’ll leave as Max’s slave the morning after the Auction. As great as that sounds, the idea of spending another minute in this hellhole concerns me. Benefield is known for changing the game midway through. I don’t want to give him a minute to turn all of this around.
Not now.
Not that…
“Tone it down.” Knox’s low voice cuts through my joy and kills the spring in my step.
Giddy. I’m giddy with relief.
Max marches in front of me. The end of the belt wraps around his wrist as he keeps tension on the leather.
Knox’s warning reminds me to stay in character.
In character.
Right. Max is scum of the earth. He won me in a poker game and fought to keep me.
Nope. It’s not working. A grin keeps tipping up the corners of my lips. I need something to bring my spirits down.
But I can’t help it. Knowing Max isn’t one of the bad guys changes everything. I can’t keep that kind of joy inside. It’s bursting within me, eager to find a way out. I want to skip and leap for joy.
I’m free. Free from this hellacious place where girls are—wait a second.
I stumble over my feet. The belt pulls tight around my throat. Max takes a step, yanking me forward, as I choke and sputter.
“Keep up, slave.” Max turns to berate me, but all I see is concern in his eyes.
Knox grabs my arm to steady me as I pull at the belt around my throat.
What about all the other girls? I can’t leave them.
But what can you do about it?
Nothing. I can do nothing, but surely Max and Knox wouldn’t leave those girls here to suffer.
Would they?
My father only paid them to get me out of here. He doesn’t care about the other girls. I know all their names. Those no longer here, having been sold off to monsters, as well as the girls currently undergoing training. It’s the list I’ve kept in my head since the day I arrived and realized what was going on.
The men I know only by a single letter, but there must be a way to track down the men who bought them. There has to be a way to save them all.
I need to tell Max. I don’t know the names of those men, but I know how to find out. Old school, Benefield keeps tabs on his guests. It’s all meticulously recorded in a ledger he keeps in his office.
Max sets off again and I stumble after him. How do I tell him? Once we’re out of this place, there will be no way to get that information. It’ll be gone, as will all trace of those girls.
I’d like to think some of the privilege I enjoyed here was worth it. As hard as I try, however, I don’t see what I can do that won’t jeopardize everything.
Max marches us down covered walkways. He takes shortcuts through the extravagant courtyards. Beauty surrounds me, lush vegetation, beautiful blooms, and a heady fragrance from the flowers flood my senses. I’ve been kept prisoner in a grotesque paradise.
We head toward the front gate and I’m horribly confused.
During our long walk, Max and Knox remain stoically silent. What are they thinking? Max can’t walk me out the front gate.
“Four,” Knox calls out beside me.
I glance at him, and pinch my eyes in confusion.
“Copy that.” Max steps up his pace.
We wind through the massive estate, passing guards at their posts. So far, Max remains unchallenged. But how long will that last? Our progress is, without question, being relayed to Benefield.